At least 25 Americans are now dead following Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday during his visit to Israel.
The death toll of American citizens in Israel is continuing to rise, with the State Department announcing Wednesday that at least 22 Americans were dead and 17 were unaccounted for. Biden confirmed that Hamas is holding Americans hostage, though it’s unclear how many. (RELATED: Biden Privately Urged Netanyahu To Keep Civilian Casualties Low During War With Hamas: REPORT)
“Tragically, the number of innocent lives claimed by Hamas’ heinous attacks continues to rise. Among those, we now know that at least 25 American citizens were killed,” Blinken said in Tel Aviv.
After making no public appearances for two days while war raged in the Middle East, Biden gave a public address Tuesday, reaffirming to the world that Israel had the United States’ unwavering support.
“This was an act of sheer evil. More than 1,000 civilians slaughtered. Not just killed. Slaughtered in Israel,” Biden said Tuesday. “Among them at least 14 American citizens killed. Parents butchered using their bodies to try to protect their children. Stomach-churning reports of babies being killed. Entire families slang. Young people massacred while attending a music festival to celebrate peace. To celebrate peace. Women raped, assaulted, paraded as trophies.”
Breaking: Speaking from Tel Aviv, Secretary Blinken now says 25 Americans have been killed in the Hamas attacks on Israel.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) October 12, 2023
The president suggested that Americans who are looking to leave the war-torn country book a commercial flight, though not long before his announcement many major airlines canceled their services in and out of Israel. The lack of commercial flights has left many Americans stranded in Israel while war continues.
While the U.S. suggests Americans book a commercial flight, other countries are deploying their military to evacuate their citizens; Poland is planning to send air force transport planes to get its citizens out of the war-torn country, according to Reuters. Hungary, Brazil and Bulgaria have carried out similar evacuation efforts for their citizens in Israel.